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GM, Pilot will build EVgo fast chargers at 500 truck stops across U.S.

All of our maps showing electric vehicle charging stations across the U.S. are going to need an update. Today, General Motors, Pilot and EVgo announced plans to work together on a nationwide DC fast charging network. The plan calls for 2,000 charging stalls that can deliver up to 350 kW to be installed at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J travel centers in the U.S. The goal is to have DC fast chargers available in 50-mile intervals across the country. The new charging stations will feature GM's "Ultium Charge 360" branding and "Pilot Flying J" logos but will not be limited to drivers of GM EVs. The plugs will use CCS connectors and be available to anyone. GM EV owners can take advantage of benefits, including the ability to make exclusive reservations, get discounts on charging costs and streamline the charging process with Plug and Charge and in-vehicle apps that can provide real-time charger availability. The first installation phase will take place in 2023, and "the bulk of the installations" should be completed by 2025, EVgo CEO Kathy Zoi said during a conference call with reporters announcing the plan. "We're gonna get going immediately and commence all of that engineering and planning stuff," she said. "We've got a pretty orderly plan." Pilot CEO Shameek Konar said the company expects the new EV charging stations to coexist with the current fuel infrastructure. "An average Pilot Flying J location is about 10 acres," Konar said. "This will be in addition to all of our gas pumps. The way I think about it is, this is a new source of energy that is going to coexist with gas for quite some time. We can debate how long, but we need to serve both groups of customers." Installing DC fast chargers at hundreds of Pilot's travel centers — aka truck stops — means there should be food, drinks, restrooms, WiFi and even showers available while you wait for an EV to charge. Pilot recently announced its “New Horizons” plan that will invest $1 billion in upgrading Pilot travel centers with more premium amenities, including expanded seating and lounge areas. While the exact amount of time it will take to charge an EV using these new stations will vary on the EV and its current state of charge, most EVs can refill from a low state of charge to around 80 percent in 20-30 minutes on a fast charger. The new stations are future-proofed to deliver up to 350 kW, a charge rate that few EVs today can handle.

Nine cars we wish were convertibles

The snow has melted, the sun is shining, and the days are getting longer. At the Autoblog Detroit office we feel like our winter hibernation is finally over. And with warmer temperatures come visions of opening up a convertible roof and cruising. You know, just turn up the bass and let the Alpine blast. There are plenty of droptops on sale in the US, and more on the way (like the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata). That said, we always want more. More! More! More! In that spirit, we cooked up a list of nine cars aren't currently sold as convertible, but ought to be. Check out our picks, below. Summer's just around the corner. Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S In some parallel universe, this car actually happened. Toyota showed us a FT 86 Convertible concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, and we immediately started licking our chops over the thought of a rear-wheel-drive convertible based on the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S twins. These days, the MX-5 Miata is our only option for affordable roadster fun. A competitor to the Mazda seems like a no-brainer to us, especially since we have naught but good to say about the BRZ/FR-S as-is. Unfortunately in our present timeline, this car is as likely for production as a BRZ STI. Which is to say, not very. Dang. Lexus RC F Unlike the FR-S, a convertible from Toyota's luxury division might actually see the light of day. The current IS convertible is about to be phased out, and the Lexus LF-C2 concept from the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show is really a thinly veiled look at a possible RC convertible. A droptop RC would be plenty good, but let's reach for the starts. What we really want is to run topless in an RC F, complete with that powerful, loud, 5.0-liter V8 engine. Lexus says the RC F is a true competitor to the BMW M4. If that's true, it only makes sense for Lexus to mimic the Germans and offer its performance coupe in a folding hardtop form. Maybach Landaulet Maybach is bach back, recast as an upper crust trim level for Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-Maybach S600 is seriously awesome, and more luxurious than a trip to the spa. But why not go a step into the truly ridiculous levels of extravagence and bring back that open-top Landaulet? We think your local princess will love this idea, and with better S-Class bones underneath, Jeeves will have a pretty enjoyable ship to steer, too. Besides, with that slick new Mercedes design language, a Landaulet redux wouldn't be nearly as hideous as the old model, pictured here.

Cadillac CT6 hits dealers in March for $54,490

When the Cadillac CT6 hits dealerships in March of 2016, it will carry a starting price of $54,490 (including a $995 destination charge). That strikes us as a reasonable asking price. For some context, the CTS, which sits a rung down the size and pricing ladder at Cadillac, starts at $46,555. A BMW 5 Series sedan begins its pricing journey at a bit over $50,000 while the larger 7 Series commands a bare minimum of $82,000. So, while the Cadillac's range-topping CT6 isn't exactly a 5 Series or 7 Series competitor, its pricing strategy seems to reflect an interesting position in the luxury-car playing field. For that $55,000-ish asking price, the CT6 comes equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pushes 272 horsepower to the rear wheels. When equipped with a 335-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 engine and all-wheel drive, the CT6 nudges up just slightly to $56,490. Again, that's a reasonable $2,000 surcharge for more power and four driven wheels. Continuing up the CT6 structure brings us to the 400-horsepower, twin-turbo, 3.0-liter V6 for $65,390 that also comes with all-wheel drive. All models come with an eight-speed automatic transmission. At the very top of the pricing scale sits the CT6 Platinum, which carries a MSRP of $84,460. As noted earlier, that puts the tip of Cadillac's CT6 spear just into the starting territory of BMW's biggest luxury sedan. A plug-in hybrid model is promised that will offer 335 horsepower and 432 pound-feet of torque with double the fuel efficiency of a comparable non-hybrid CT6, but Cadillac hasn't yet announced pricing for that model. We're eager to find out exactly where the CT6 lands on the scale of high-end luxury cars in America. One thing is for certain, though: Cadillac is clearly trying pique the interest of German cross-shoppers with its top-level offering. Check out the press release below for more details from the automaker about its so-called Cadillac Touring 6 Sedan. Related Video: 2016 Cadillac CT6 Range-Topping Sedan Slated for March Launch NEW RANGE INCLUDES CT6 STARTING AT $53,495; CT6 PLATINUM PRICED FROM $83,465 2015-11-02 Cadillac extends the top of its range with the 2016 Cadillac Touring 6 sedan, which begins production in Detroit in January, with initial shipments to dealers in March. Through the integration of new technologies, the first-ever Cadillac CT6 creates a new formula for the range-topping sedan and substantially expands the Cadillac portfolio.